Take me out for a night to remember

THEY'VE enjoyed the trappings of smart hotels in exotic locations as they toured their self-titled debut album around the world but 2004 Mercury Prize winners Franz Ferdinand were adamant they wouldn't lose sight of their second long player.

THEY'VE enjoyed the trappings of smart hotels in exotic locations as they toured their self-titled debut album around the world but 2004 Mercury Prize winners Franz Ferdinand were adamant they wouldn't lose sight of their second long player.

"We spent all of last year writing ideas and working things through, so when we went back to the studio in my house we were ready with lots of songs," explains frontman Alex Kapranos.

"Well," he laughs, "it's not actually a proper studio, we just brought a mixing desk and multi-track into my house - which is all a studio is really.

"A dedicated professional studio can be very antiseptic. It's much better to feel at home, to feel comfortable."

The result is the recently released album You Could Have It So Much Better which features the trademark spiky guitars, but also expands the Franz sound with almost Beatlesque touches.

"We wanted to have more of a dynamic range," states Alex, who is currently in the middle of a world tour, having gone from the US to Europe where the band are playing a few dates with Birmingham's own Editors, before bringing them back as support at Birmingham's NEC on November 16.

And while some bands find it difficult to make the leap from small venues to arena status, Alex has taken their dramatic but steady rise in his stride.

"We've played Chicago about five times now and the first time was in the Empty Bottle, a tiny tiny club, and the venues have just got bigger and bigger each time we've gone back. This time we played a cavernous 1920s ballroom," he says.

Recalling the bands inception, their initial desire to make an impact has certainly helped them adapt to playing larger venues.

"I remember starting this band and thinking you can either shamble on stage, or leap on and shout: 'Here I am! You're here! I'm here!' And that's how I want to do it."

With the album guaranteed to be a big seller in the run-up to Christmas, the band's next release is the single Walk Away on December 5, which comes complete with another memorable Franz video.

"We went to Ealing Studios," Alex says. "We're big fans of those Ealing British comedies and the film - sorry, I mean video - has a kind of British noir feel like early Hitchcock, The Servant, Peeping Tom - that darker British feel."

Tickets for the gig, on November 16, are available by calling 0870 909 4133.